Topic:   Blockchains

How to use Web3 technology and financial aid to help (and not hurt) poverty alleviation in West Africa :: with Hans Mulders

In this episode of Ventures, my guest Hans Mulders (https://obertal.com/leavenworth-wa-hotel-owner/) and I recorded a conversation while we were on-site at a demonstration farm in Togo, West Africa. We had just helped dozens of local Togolese people onboard into a progressive web application that we are building with Impact Stream (https://impact.stream), a new NGO helping to decentralize poverty alleviation via trust networks and blockchain technology. In our conversation we cover how Hans got involved in Impact Stream and how to smartly use technology and aid to sustainably help lift people out of poverty.

Web3 & Poverty Alleviation in Togo, West Africa: Impact Stream progress update

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) walk through the current progress of a new NGO called Impact Stream (https://impact.stream). I and fellow team members were able to travel to Togo, West Africa this month to help onboard dozens of local people into a progressive web app we are building to facilitate proposals, on-chain voting, and funding via cryptocurrency. Importantly, these proposals are submitted by local people to be built by local vendors/workers and prioritized by their own community (and not outside influencers). In this episode I share plenty of footage from our trip, so be sure to watch the video via the link below if you happen to be on your podcast player.

How to buy crypto and participate in an NFT mint (using Alphi’s June 29, 2023 mint as an example)

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) walk through how to buy crypto on a centralized exchange, move it to your own crypto wallet, and participate in an NFT mint. I use the upcoming Founders Collection mint for Alphi (https://mint.alphi.xyz/, June 29th, 2023) as a practical example. Most NFT communities require some kind of process to be added to their allowlist, so I walk through how to do this, step-by-step, with Alphi.

Blockchains and AI are both Web3 tools. Crypto isn’t dead.

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) discuss the recent lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase brought by the SEC. There is no lack of FUD on crypto right now, and it seems like everyone is moving over to AI. Still, both AI and Blockchains are important tools to make a better Internet for us all, and this is the goal of Web3.

Introducing Impact Stream: A new non-profit that helps digital communities create IRL impact

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wclittle) introduce a new non-profit called Impact Stream (https://impact.stream), which is all about creating transparent streams of impact between digital communities and real-life communities. Our first project - in partnership with Gitcoin, Supermodular, Prota Ventures, International Literacy and Development, and Primordia - will create a software application to onboard 100 Togolese (West Africa) into Web3 and allow them to create, submit, and vote on proposals to fund public goods in their community with a global matching pool.

Alphi.xyz updates, how to DYOR in the NFT space, and leveling up your Web3 leadership skills :: with Jesse Bryan and Mike Anderson

In this week’s episode of Ventures, my guests Jesse Bryan (https://twitter.com/JesseBryan), Mike Anderson (https://twitter.com/mikeyanderson) and I discuss updates about their startup, Alphi (https://alphi.xyz). We talk about why digital asset ownership is important, how/why Alphi is helping to organize information in the metaverse, how/why to contribute, and how/why to participate in their Leadership Academy to level up your skills in the Web3 space.

Explaining Web3/Crypto/NFTs/Metaverse to extreme skeptics

Will's General Newsletter (Weekly) :: Apr 11, 2023

The Internet of Places :: with Greg Gallimore, Joel Fariss, and Mike Anderson

On this episode of Ventures, my guests Greg Gallimore (Digital Experience Design (DXD) Leader for Gensler’s Northwest region), Joel Fariss (Gensler Strategy Director), and Mike Anderson (CoFounder of Alphi.xyz), and I sat down for a conversation exploring how Web3 will transform the built environment. Physical places are now inextricable from the Internet. Our buildings have become “smart,” collecting, sharing, and applying intelligence to the “user experience” of the built environment. The metaverse has opened the door to entirely immersive virtual experiences of a place. With internet mediated communication, physical proximity is no longer a precondition for access to community and knowledge. What does all this mean for the future of human experience, collaboration, and community? We discuss multiple aspects of this at length in this episode.

Product: Magic Link for Web2 & Web3 Product Managers. Code: GitHub Copilot

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://twitter.com/wclittle) introduce for Web2 & Web3 product managers the company https://magic.link and why you should consider using their products to onboard customers in Web2&3. I also introduce GitHub Copilot (https://github.com/features/copilot) as a must-use tool when both learning to code and writing code professionally.

Product: How to build in Web3 with Ceramic & ComposeDB. Code: Introducing JavaScript

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://twitter.com/wclittle) walk through recent updates about the Ceramic Network, specifically the launch of their ComposeDB product (https://ceramic.network/composedb) and why Web3 product managers should know about it. Ceramic is a great example - especially for learning purposes - of the type of Web3 organization that offers tools for entrepreneurs and builders to create valuable products for the world. At the end of this episode I also introduce JavaScript into our code series and where to learn more about it.

The Internet of Places: Discussing our upcoming webinar on March 7th, 2023 4-5pm PST :: with Joel Fariss and Mike Anderson

In this episode of Ventures, my guests Joel Fariss (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelfariss/), Mike Anderson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeandersonjr/), and I discuss the topics of our upcoming webinar on the Internet of Places (register here for free → https://www2.gensler.com/se-internet-of-places, it will take place March 7th, 2023 4-5pm PST). We talk about how the Future of Work, cities, real estate, and architectural design will interact with and espouse Web3, NFTs, XR, and other emerging technologies and use-cases to help humans flourish.

Product: Learning from Lens Protocol and Farcaster. Code: Models and Migrations

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wclittle) continue our Product and Code series to talk about Web3 protocol design and Ruby on Rails model/migration construction. I bring up the protocols Farcaster and Lens as examples for product managers to be aware of and learn from when approaching how to build value for the modern web. I also detail how to create a User model in Ruby on Rails, its associated “migration” file, and examples from the Rails Console how to create a user to store in the database.

Low-Code/No-Code vs. ChatGPT-assisted Ruby on Rails development for new startups

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://www.reddit.com/user/wclittle) discuss both a Reddit conversation I posted recently about Low-Code/No-Code vs. ChatGPT-assisted code-from-scratch, and an overview of the curriculum we’re planning to walk through in our Product and Code cohort (learn more and apply here: https://forms.gle/dtVA1bQ9xATRrPW29). I talk about Rails vs. Bubble, learning with LLMs, and a wide range of web developer topics - from installing necessary software on your computer to caching strategies - that anyone needs to know in order to become a proficient engineer for the modern web.

Bridging physical and digital with NFTs, the Jump.co story :: with Scott Kveton

In this episode of Ventures, my guest Scott Kveton (https://twitter.com/kveton, co-founder of https://jump.co) and I discuss how to bring real-world assets into the NFT space. We talk about Art Basel, why it's good that people are calling crypto "dead", the Jump.co features available today for customers/partners and their audiences, a comparison between NFTs and the early mobile market, NFTs for restaurant owners, and how ChatGPT/GPT-4 will revolutionize the industry.

Metaverse infrastructure, interoperability, ChatGPT, and the future of online experiences :: with Alex Shalash

In this episode of Ventures, my guest Alex Shalash (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-shalash/, co-founder of https://www.metaengine.gg/) and I discuss metaverse infrastructure and interoperability. We talk about how MetaEngine started, the technical aspects of how their platform works, who should build on it, how GPT4/ChatGPT will change the game, and the future of online experiences.